What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than to give someone you love—including yourself—healthy, home-baked treats. Valentine’s Day is synonymous with chocolate. However, when you bake for someone else—romantic partner, friend or family member(s)—don’t assume that they want chocolate just because it’s Valentine’s Day! As a die-hard dark chocolate lover, myself, I learned the hard […]
11 Gluten-Free Baking Tips
If you’re a newcomer to gluten-free baking, you’ll want to review the following tips before you start baking anything. Unlike cooking, where you can easily swap out one ingredient for another, baking is precise and less amenable to substitutions. Gluten-free baking requires even more attention to detail. For a happy and delicious outcome, be mindful […]
Rhubarb Coconut Flour Cake
Rhubarb is a very tart-sour vegetable (think 100% unsweetened cranberries). Rhubarb stalks resemble celery but have a reddish hue. Unlike celery, however, rhubarb is best eaten COOKED (versus raw). High in fiber, rhubarb is known to have a laxative effect: it can help promote regular bowel movements or reduce strain during bowel movements. As an […]
Pear Clafoutis
There are many variations of clafoutis (sounds like: kla-foo-tee), a classic French country custard-and-fruit type of dessert. Essentially, it consists of an eggy batter poured over fresh fruit. Fresh cherries are a traditional fruit used in clafoutis, but you can use any fruit, from berries and peaches, to plums and pears. My version is both […]
Buckwheat Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies
When I bake, buckwheat flour and tiger nut flour are my go-to gluten-free flours. Because I have Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) and hypothyroidism, I stopped eating wheat and gluten-containing grains (oats, barley, spelt, rye) about seven years ago. Since then, many symptoms of digestive distress that I once assumed were “normal” have disappeared. Do I […]
Tiger Nut-Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache
The last time I attempted to bake a gluten-free, dairy-free birthday cake was 6 years ago. I decided to try again. I wanted to make a chocolate layer cake to celebrate my birthday—as well as my sister’s recent significant birthday. One of the most effective ways that I manage my Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune thyroid […]
Boozy Pumpkin-Ginger Pie with Buckwheat Crust
It’s funny where a healing journey can take you. Before I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, flour-based treats—muffins, scones, pancakes, giant chocolate chip cookies from a nearby artisanal bakery or a wedge of chocolate layer cake with chocolate buttercream frosting—were part of my everyday life. I was also a talented baker with a natural “feel” for […]
Slow Burn Buckwheat Molasses Gingerbread
Do you enjoy a slow burn? Then you’ll love this gluten-free gingerbread! (And, no, you won’t be rating Scoville heat units…there are no chili peppers in the recipe!) Moist and flavorful, a combination of gently warming spices (including fresh ginger root) natural sweeteners and buckwheat flour, makes these brownies a delicious, warming treat (and digestive aid!) […]
No-Guilt Flourless Chocolate Cake
Nothing says “love” like a flourless chocolate cake. Especially when it’s homemade. A flourless chocolate cake is decadent. It’s a delectable way to enjoy a combination of healthy fats: pasture-raised eggs, grass-fed butter, dark chocolate and cocoa powder (ideally, unsweetened and 100% cocoa)—all gently sweetened with maple syrup. You can use 1/2 cup raw honey […]
Show Me the Love! Ultra-Dark Chocolate Sweet Potato Brownies
Want to show your love? Give me chocolate—the darker, the better (I like 85% cocoa content or higher). Or…you could make these brownies! Why does chocolate = love? We have to credit the Mayans for creating this symbolic connection. In the 7th century, the Mayans migrated from Guatemala to the Yucatan peninsula, where they established […]